Two-Phase Pumped Cooling System of a HVDC Power Converter: System Analyses and Experimental Results

The number of electronic components requiring dedicated cooling is set to increase for the next generation of medium-to-large-sized more-electric aircraft. In the EU-funded H2020 ADENEAS project, the usage of a two-phase mechanically pumped loop for the cooling of a high-power HVDC (High-Voltage Direct Current) converter, in an aircraft case, is analysed. After a fluid selection, R1233zdE appears as one of the premier candidates for aircraft two-phase pumped cooling systems. A comparison between a R1233zdE two-phase pumped cooling system and liquid cooling system with propylene–glycol water as working fluid is performed. The result of the system comparison is a 40% system mass reduction in favour of a two-phase pumped cooling system. By testing, a successful demonstration of the discussed cooling system is shown in nominal and non-nominal scenarios. With the achieved results presented here, a leap to TRL4 of a two-phase mechanically pumped loop for aircraft power electronics cooling is shown.